“X” and “Y” Mark Next Pokémon Games

By Bahnt Freiberger on March 8, 2013

You can’t call yourself a ‘90s kid if you haven’t heard of Pokémon. As the Nintendo franchise that took the world by storm, Pokémon had gamers take on the role of a trainer who would travel the world, capture super-powered creatures, train them in gym battles and earn badges that would make them Pokémon masters.

Still going strong after 15 years, the franchise has seen dozens of games released for every one of Nintendo’s portable systems, from the original Gameboy up to the Nintendo DS. Now that the Nintendo 3DS is out, the company is preparing to release the sixth generation of Pokémon games, versions “X and Y”.

Unlike past games, “Pokémon X and Y” will be the first to have full polygonal 3D graphics. Everything from surroundings, characters and Pokémon battles will be entirely rendered in these new graphics, heralding an entirely new direction for the popular franchise.

Among the new Pokémon species invented for the games include water-type starter Froakie, grass-type starter Chespin and fire-type starter Fennekin. The two legendary mascots that grace the games’ covers will be the flying Pokémon Yveltal and the deer-like Xerneas. In addition, the ever-popular first generation Pokémon Eevee, known for having multiple evolutionary forms, will get another form in Sylveon, whose element is still unknown.

While the Pokémon franchise may have fizzled in terms of its trading cards and cartoon show, the games are still among Nintendo’s top-sellers and entrance fans both new and old. When it’s released in October 2013, “Pokémon X and Y” will mark a new era for the series, and diehard fans won’t be disappointed. Those without a 3DS may want to invest in one, so they too can “catch ‘em all” and continue exploring that addictive Pokémon world.